Trap.



J; L. WHITNEY.

TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1909.

v Patented Mar. 7, 1911 &

um/mien JOHN L. WHITNEY, OF MARION, INDIANA.

TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. WVHrrNnY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Warion, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Traps, of which the following isa specification.

This invention is an improved trap especially adapted for use fordestroying, by im paling, rats and other noxious animals, the object ofthe invention being to provide an improved trap which is extremelycheap, and simple, is very strong and durable, is not likely to get outof order and which may be set simply by the act of drawing up theimpaling plunger, the said invention consisting in the construction,combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1-is an elevation of a trapconstructed in accordance with my invention showing the same sprung andarranged for use in connect-ion with a bait box. Fig. 2 is a similarview of my improved trap showing the same in initial set position andused in connection with a pair of securing pins embedded in the earthand over the runway of a burrowing animal, the trigger of the trap beingshown in position in the burrow or runway. Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing a portion of the base in section, showing thecatch, the dog, thetrip bar and the trigger in full lines in initial set position and indotted lines in tripped position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken uponthe line 4.-t of Fig. 1.

In the form of the invention shown, a plate 1 is provided, which may bemade of any suitable material and is provided at its upper end with aflange 2 which extends outwardly therefrom and which flange is providedwith a downturned lug 3. The flange 2 is provided with a suitable guideopening for an impaling plunger 13 which is here shown as a rod, thelower end of which is pointed and which rod or plunger is provided witha ring 15 forming a handle at its upper end. On the front side of theplate 1 at the lower end thereof is secured a box or casing 4.. The saidbox or casing has a guide opening indicated at a for the plunger and thebottom of the said box or casing is provided with a slot 19 and has onits upper side a stud or rib 23 the upper edge of which is inclined orbeveled as shown. The plate 1 has an opening 12 through which a nail,screw or other suitable device may be passed to secure the trap againsta wall or washboard, if desired. On the lower portion of the plunger isa coiled retractile spring 16, the lower end of which is suitablysecured to the neck or central portion of the box or casing 4. At asuitable distance from its upper end, the said plunger is provided witha cross head 15 which is secured thereto for movement therewith and theupper end of the said spring 16 is secured to the said cross head.

A catch to lock the plunger in elevated position is shown at 17, whichcatch is substan tially of inverted L-shape comprising the upright arm17 and a substantially hori zontal arm 17 at its upper end, which arm17" is relatively short. At a suitable distance below the said arm 17 isa shoulder 17, a recess or notch 18 being formed between the said arm 17and said shoulder 17 and adapted for the reception of one end of thecross head 15 which forms the stop element of the plunger. The uprightarm 17 of the catch 17 narrows downwardly as shown. Said catch ispivoted at its upper end to the lug 3 as by means of a pivot screw 3*,said pivot screw being disposed in the angle between the arms 17 and 17of the catch. A dog 24 is located in the box or casing 1 near one end ofthe latter and is pivotally mounted, its pivot 25 being near theupperend of the said dog so that the latter is adapted by gravity todrop behind the lower end of the long arm of the catch 17 and lock thecatch in engaged position with the stop element 15 of the plunger asshown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the lower portion of the box or casing is atrip bar 22 which is here shown as disposed above the slot 19 and havingone end bent upwardly and then outwardly and bearing on the rib 23 sothat the said trip bar is mounted for angular movement in a verticalplane. The length of the trip bar is such that its free end bearsagainst the lower portion of the dog 2 1. The trigger 20 is providedwith a head 21. The stem of the said trigger is disposed in the slot 19and may be adjusted therein as may be desired, the head 01 the triggerbearing on the bottom of the box or casing 41 and under the trip bar 22and when the trap is set serving to hold the trip bar in engagement withthe dog 24-.

To set the trap it is only necessary to draw the plunger upwardly bymeans of its handle ring 15. plunger is against the tension of thespring 16 and serves to extend the said spring. As the cross head orstop 15 of the plunger nears the upper end of the catch, it engages theunder side of the short arm 17 which forms the set shoulder of thecatch, said stop element of the plunger and the set shoulder of thecatch coa'cting to move the catch angularly toward the plunger, and saidcatch also by its own gravity moves toward the plunger, the end of thestop element 15 of the plunger being received in the notch 18 of thecatch and the stop shoulder 17 of the catch engaging the under side ofsaid stop element 15 of the plunger as shown in Fig. 2. The movement ofthe lower end of the catch 17 toward the plunger causes said catch toswing over the upper end of the dog 21 and the latter by its own gravitydrops behind the lower end of the catch as shown in Fig. 2 and also infull lines in Fig. 3. This movement of the dog causes the latter to bearon the trip bar 22 and the trip bar by bearing on the head of thetrigger 20 holds the latter in vertical position. When the trigger ismoved by the animal, it is somewhat inclined thereby causing its head 21to turn angularly, such motion of the head causing the front end of thetrip bar to raise and said trip bar raising the lower end of the dog andlowering the upper end of the dog so that the dog releases the catchwhereupon the tension of the spring 16 on the plunger draws the latterdownwardly with force, the initial downward movement of the plunger, bythe action of its stop element 15 on the stop shoulder 17 of the catch,moving the latter out of engagement with said stop element 15 as will beunderstood.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I show the trap mounted on and used inconnection with a bait box 11, which forms a support for the base of thetrap. The bait box has a pair of upwardly extending arms 10 which extendthrough the bottom of the casing t and are supported upon a suitablebase. The base may be provided with a wall or closure as shown in Fig. 1of the drawing. The rods The upward movement of the! 10 are effectivelyconnected with the plate 1 through the medium of a bail 6, said bailhaving one of its ends screw threaded as at 7 and being provided with aclamping nut S for adjustably securing the plate and casing t to thearms 10.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown the arms 10" provided with offsetdepending portions which are adapted to be inserted within the groundadjacent the walls of a burrow or runway. The vertical upwardlyextending portion of the arms, designated by the numeral 9 are connectedwith the plate 1 through the medium of a bail 6, which is also providedwith a threaded extremity 7 and adapted for engagement with a nut 8.

Vhat is claimed is An animal trap comprising a rectangular plate havingits upper edge provided with a flange and its lower edge provided with ahousing, sustaining members adjustably connected with the sides of theplate, a plunger rod u on one face of the plate and the lower endtiereof normally positioned within the housing and projecting throughthe flange v of the plate, said plunger having said lower end sharpened,a cross head upon the plunger, a retractile spring connecting the crosshead and the housing, a catch member pivot? ally connected with theplate, said catch member extending approximately the entire distance ofthe plate and having its inner face diverging from its bottom to itsupper portion, a dog pivotally connected with the plate, a trap barwithin the housing and having one of its ends normally underlying thedog, the bottom wall of the housing being provided with an elongatedslot, and a trigger member provided with an enlar ed head and adepending body portion a justably positioned within the slot and to haveits head lie beneath the trap bar, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. WHITNEY. Witnesses GRANT A. DENTLER, MAnsHALL VILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

